Laser Skin Treatment

Serving Manhattan, New York City and Surrounding Areas.

Laser Treatment for Clear, Healthy-Looking Skin

Many common skin imperfections, including wrinkles, age spots and veins, can be treated non-surgically with lasers. Most laser treatments are quick, convenient and require minimal downtime, which makes them very popular with our patients. Dr. Mark H. Schwartz uses state-of-the-art laser technology at his Manhattan plastic surgery practice. In fact, he is the first board-certified plastic surgeon in New York City to offer the revolutionary Halo laser for treatment of brown spots, fine lines and large pores.

Fine Line and Wrinkle Treatment

Age, gravity, environmental stresses such as the sun, smoking and pollution can all cause the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and an overall aged appearance. Collagen and elastin deteriorate and the skin loses its youthful texture and tone. The ability to hold onto water and moisture is also decreased. The best way to minimize these unwanted changes is to avoid them with a daily sunscreen and topical treatments including face creams that contain retinoids, Vitamin C and peptides.

Fine lines and wrinkles can also be treated with a laser resurfacing procedure. Treatment consists of laser energy penetrating the target area at different levels to smooth and tone the skin. Laser skin treatment in NYC is performed by Dr. Mark Schwartz at his state-of-the-art cosmetic surgery center. Dr. Schwartz will develop a treatment plan tailored to your concerns and unique skin type. The lasers used by Dr. Schwartz include:

Age Spots/Sun Spots/Hyperpigmentation

Age spots and sun spots are flat, dark brown spots that appear on sun-exposed parts of the skin such as the face, hands, legs, shoulders and arms. They result from excess melanin (skin pigment) production and are usually seen in patients that have fair skin and a history of sun exposure. Most patients are above the age of 40. Certain age spots may be improved by bleaching creams such as hydroquinones, however these can take months to see improvements.

Dr. Schwartz treats age spots and sun spots on the face, neck, backs of the hands, chest and shoulders with broad band light (BBL) also known as intense pulsed light. Non-ablative heat energy is delivered into the layers of the skin where the brown spots are located. The heat is absorbed by the pigment in the spots, which helps to destroy the pigment and stimulate the production of new collagen. For patients that wish to improve age spots in addition to fine lines and wrinkles, may also want to learn about the Halo, ProFractional, and Erbium lasers.

Laser Scar Treatment

A scar by definition is a permanent mark on the skin from either trauma or surgery. While most scars fade over time and eventually become unnoticeable, many patients develop scars that are red, raised, thickened and otherwise abnormal. In patients who do not require surgical scar revision or who need more than silicone gels to achieve their desired appearance of their scar, Dr. Schwartz is able to integrate laser technology into scar healing. Dr. Schwartz typically uses a combination of lasers for scars including the BBL, Halo, ProFractional lasers. Most scars require several laser treatments to achieve the best aesthetic results.

Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal reduces unwanted hair on the face or body. It can be used on the legs, arms, back, bikini line, chin and upper lip. Not all hairs grow at the same stage, and laser treatment is only effective on hairs in the active growth stage. For these reasons, a series of multiple treatments is necessary to achieve the desired results.

Dr. Schwartz uses the both the BBL laser and the ClearScan YAG for laser hair removal.

Spider Veins

Broken capillaries, commonly known as “spider veins,” or by medical terminology “telangiectasias” are tiny blood vessels that we see on the surface of the skin. When the walls of these blood vessels widen and narrow suddenly they may become permanently damaged, making them more visible than we would like.

Broken capillaries are most noticeable on the face (cheeks, chin and sides of nose), upper chest and the legs. There are several genetic predispositions beyond our control that make spider veins more likely to occur. Medical conditions such as rosacea, a condition where the skin is reddish and flushed, are more likely to experience spider veins. Patients that have lighter skin color are more likely to develop spider veins. Older individuals are also more likely to exhibit broken blood vessels since the skin is thinner and weaker and the collagen is not replaced as rapidly as in younger skin.

Laser light is used to effectively treat spider veins and other vascular lesions. The laser energy heats up and destroys the vein or lesion, and the body naturally absorbs it. Dr. Mark H. Schwartz uses both the BBL laser and the ClearScan Laser for spider veins.

Rosacea/Redness

Rosacea is a common skin disorder that most commonly presents as facial redness with frequent flushing of the cheeks, nose chin or forehead. It most commonly affects women with fairer skin. Many patients are initially treated with oral and topical therapy.

Laser light is often used to safely reduce the extensive redness, and treat the associated spider veins, and other vascular lesions. The laser energy heats up and destroys the vein or lesion, and the body naturally absorbs it. Dr. Mark H. Schwartz uses both the BBL laser to treat rosacea.

Acne Scar Treatment

Acne is the most common skin disorder in the country. It occurs when a pore becomes clogged with oil and dead skin cells. Bacteria normally found on the skin rapidly multiplies in the pore and as a result, the skin becomes red and inflamed. This inflammation may cause blemishes, pimples, or cysts. Dr. Schwartz uses the Forever Clear BBL laser to destroy acne-causing bacteria and get active acne under control.

One of the complications of chronic acne is scarring. Recurrent outbreaks and chronic inflammation can damage the deep tissue and cause red, raised scars, “ice pick” scars or depressions in the skin. Dr. Schwartz can minimize the appearance of noticeable acne scarring with fractional laser resurfacing, designed to ablate the damaged outer layer of skin, revealing fresh healthy skin; the laser also stimulates the body’s natural production of collagen for smoother, softer skin.

What’s New

July 2

The diverse uses of Botox

Dr. Mark H. Schwartz

Mark H. Schwartz, MD, FACS, is a board-certified plastic surgeon with over 20 years of experience making confidence-building, positive transformations in his patient’s lives. Recognized by Castle Connolly as one of the New York Metro Area’s top plastic surgeons, he looks forward to discussing your interest in plastic surgery and developing an individualized treatment plan.